Standards, the fourth studio album by the Chicago-based band Tortoise, boldly announces their return after TNT released in 1998. Tortoise spent most of 1998 and part of 1999 touring around the world. After concerts in the United States, Europe, South America, Japan, Brazil, and Australia, the band members dedicated themselves to various side projects that kept them busy until the spring of 2000, when they began recording Standards. In 1999, some band members traveled across the United States as the backing band for the legendary Brazilian composer and singer Tom Zé. Tortoise members Dan Bitney, John Herndon, and Jeff Parker meticulously worked to record and tour in support of two Isotope 217 albums. Parker also contributed to two records under the name Chicago Underground, appeared in the film High Fidelity, and lent his talent to many other musical projects. Meanwhile, Douglas McCombs completed a full album and an EP (scheduled for January 2001) under the name Brokeback, and recorded new albums with Eleventh Dream Day and Pullman. John McEntire finished building his Soma Electronic Music Studios, composed and recorded the music for John Hughes' film Reach the Rock, while continuing to record and/or produce Stereolab, The High Llamas, The For Carnation, Smog, The Sea & Cake, as well as Standards.